SERER-SINE
STUDYING SERER-SINE
IN THE US
LANGUAGE & CULTURE
The Serer are famous throughout Senegal and Gambia for
their clothing. Serr is a traditional clothing woven by men.
Serr is believed to bring good luck to those who wear it.
Please contact the National African Language
The Serer people are also famous for a form of wrestling
Resource Center, or check the NALRC web site
that is popular throughout the region called Laamb
at http://www.nalrc.indiana.edu/
or Njomb. Serer religion is centered on universal supreme
deity called Rog. There are also lesser gods, goddesses and
spirits. The Serers strongly believe in the importance of the
ancestral spirits (pangool) and reincarnation.
The Serer people are also known for their music. The drum
tradition called Sabar originated from the Serer kingdom of
Sine. It has since gained popularity among Wolof people.
The Serer are also credited with creating the traditions of
Njuup and Tassu. These are oral traditions; which similar to
chants and are traditionally used in the Serer religious contexts, marriages, naming ceremonies and praise songs Some
say they are precursors of modern rap music. The Senegalese
music legend Youssou N’Dour is Serer and incorporates
the Tassu oral tradition into many of his songs.
NATIONAL AFRICAN
LANGUAGE RESOURCE
CENTER (NALRC)
701 Eigenmann Hall, 1900 E. 10th St.
Bloomington, IN 47406 USA
T: (812) 856 4199 | F: (812) 856 4189
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.nalrc.indiana.edu
SERER-SINE WOMAN
Serer Royal War Drum - Jung-Jung from the
kingdom of Sine
NATIONAL AFRICAN LANGUAGE
RESOURCE CENTER (NALRC)
WHO SPEAKS SERER-SINE?
WHY STUDY SERER-SINE?
There are two theories on the origins of the Serer people.
Serer-Sine is spoken in Senegal and the Gambia. There are
One holds that they originated from the Kabbu Empire
approximately 1.2 million speakers of the language. Serer
(present-day Guinea Bissau). They were then forced to
are the third largest ethnic group in Senegal. They make up
migrate to the Futa Toro area of Southern Senegal under
approximately 15% of the population in Senegal and about
the control of the Tukulors. In the 12th century, Wolof
2% of the population in the Gambia. Serer-Sine is taught in
forced them to migrate again to the Sine-Saloum area.
primary school in Senegal and can also be heard on the radio
The Serer then established small states which included
and in television. Students interested in African Art, African
areas in present day Senegal and the Gambia. Although
history, anthropology, archaeology, the international relations,
the Mandinka controlled the Sine-Saloum area, Serer
non-governmental organization work and government work
tradition, language, and culture allegedly prevailed and
will find the Serer-Sine a valuable language to study.
Sidama farmers exhibiting their coffee
Boys in colourful traditional dress
Mandinkas absorbed many of these notions. The second
theory holds that Serer people actually originated north
Some typical Serer-Sine greetings:
of Senegal in the Kabu empire. They migrated about
Na feto --------------------------------- general greeting
400 years ago after a civil war and settled in the
Ndio ko ------------------------------ morning greeting
present-day Senegal.
Guiro po ko -------------------------afternoon greeting
Nam fi’o?----------------how are you? (to one person)
The Serer people were traditionally organized into five
Mexe meen ---------------------------reply to Nam fi’o?
societal class groups: The ruling nobles, soldiers (Tyeddo),
Nam nou biyou -------------how are you? (to a group)
Free-Born commoners (Jambar), low-caste artisans and the
Inn ixre meen -----------------reply to Nam nou biyou
slaves. The leader of Serers was called ether Burr, Maat,
Ta mbind na? ------------------------how is the family?
Maad, or Lamane. The Lamane was the controller of the
Owa maa --------------------------reply to Ta mbind na
Serer Dancers in Dakar
state and the forces of nature. He was ritually killed when
he reached old age as he could no longer ensure the fertility
of females or livestock-critical to the strength of the Serer
kingdom
Serer drummers from the village of Keur
Serer Priest
Serer Wrestler